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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bass · kick · bore · lash · tear · ruler · rest · firm

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rest — what's left
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — decided
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. bass — low music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — an eyelash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com